Symbols of love don't have to be grand romantic gestures or expensive gifts

Contrary to the stuff of Hollywood rom coms, small moments of tender coupledom - the quiet, understated kind that millions of couples share on a daily basis - can be just as meaningful.

Now illustrator Philippa Rice, 30, from Bristol, has captured the day-to-day intimacies experienced by a pair who have just moved in together, from doing the washing up together to receiving a first joint gas bill.

Philippa Rice, 30, from Bristol, captures affectionate moments from what happens when a couple move in

Comics, inspired by her own relationship, include moment couple receive their first joint gas bill

The resulting book, Soppy, was inspired by her own relationship with artist Luke Pearson, 28.

It's a 112-page collection of adorable comics depicting the funny and tender conversations in an ongoing companionship that become a compelling, sweet and, crucially, very real love story.

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Philippa told FEMAIL: 'I like to keep diaries of drawings and comics. It's a nice way to remember little moments that would be easily forgotten.

'I've got nothing against a big romantic gesture, but I think it's the smaller everyday gestures and kindnesses that make living with someone you love really sweet.'

The couple in question represent Philippa and her boyfriend Luke Pearson; also an artist

From walking home together hand-in-hand in the rain to sitting beside each other in bed, Philippa's illustrations remind us that the regularly overlooked displays of love are often the most important

Her book is available in the UK from Page 45, Waterstones and Amazon for £10.99

'Everything that happens in the book is real,' Philippa told the Telegraph.

'I didn't want to make anything up, because I didn't want Luke to read it and think, "Well, that's not true." I wanted Luke to like it, more than anything.

'But a lot of people have been saying, "This is what I do. You're watching me. You're a clone of me!" It makes you feel that lots of people are just the same. I guess we're all normal.'

Philippa filmed a video showing how she drew the simple red and black images for the book and put it on YouTube.

'I've been keeping diaries of comics and drawings for a long time but I started drawing them in this style with the red and black inks for my boyfriend Luke,' she told Stylist.co.uk.

Her book is available in the UK from Page 45, Waterstones and Amazon.

Philippa works in a number of different mediums including comics, illustration, animation, model-making and crochet.

Her other artworks include the collage-based webcomic My Cardboard Life and her stop-motion animated characters.

From walking home together hand-in-hand in the rain, to sitting beside each other in bed having a post-work debrief, Philippa's illustrations remind us that the regularly overlooked displays of love are often the most important.

She says: 'I didn't want to make anything up, because I didn't want Luke to think, "Well, that's not true"